First V+A Marina Bimble
Beez Neez now Chy Whella
Big Bear and Pepe Millard
Tue 31 Dec 2019 12:00
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First Victoria and Alfred Marina Bimble
 Despite falling into bed at three
full of vodka and sake, I was wide awake at seven. I caught up on emails (don’t
mention blogs.........), did banking and credit card payments, A nice chap on
his rounds dropped in a marina form to fill in, that done we dozed until ten. It
seemed right and fitting when Bear suggested boiled
eggs, three each I feel is
appropriate, no argument from me. Perfection indeed. Time to explore
and visit the marina office.
 View from the back of Beez. Is
that chaps I see ???
 Yes, three sea
lions. One soundo and two arguing.
 All around us are one, two, three
bedroomed apartments and some rather nice penthouses
(five hundred and fifteen residences in all), offices, a gym and lots of
eateries. The area was completed in 2009. The marina holds two hundred or so
boats of all shapes and sizes. Leopard Catamarans use it for their post-launch
storage, boats either going off by ship or customer pick-up. The Big Wheel (seen
far let of picture) is where the now famous V+A Waterfront begins. Shopping
malls, eateries of every kind and lots of tourist things ready to explore.
Victoria and Alfred not Albert ???
 Thomas Bowler’s painting of 1860
shows Prince Alfred tipping the first truck of stone
for the breakwater (our nemesis of last night) of Table Bay Harbour on the 17th
of September 1860 on behalf of his mum.
  Back to our bimble. There are all
kinds of boat in here from racers, cruisers, even dragon boats.
 At the end of our jetty we can look up
and see Table Mountain.
 Turning, the girl
sits quietly. Last night she lost the cover to her liferaft and the
lampshade to her port light – could have been so much worse. Today is New Year’s
Eve and we have the last backgammon game of the year, showers and snacks to prep
for tonight on Slow Flight before fireworks at the Waterfront to bring
in the new decade. Busy, busy as always. The ‘53’ to the left is one of three
awaiting rides on a transport ship.
  The artificial
weir in the corner keeps water flowing through the marina. A quick peep out then back through the security
gate.
 A final look at The Mountain Rising from the Sea as the Afrikaans call her.
A top to-do is return after so many years to see the dassie (pronounce dussy) or
rock hyrax who look like big guinea pigs and are related to the
elephant........and manatee..........
ALL IN ALL
GORGEOUS
COMFORTABLE, PROTECTED,
CONVENIENT |